Writing Style – 4.5/5

Jenkins brilliant wove together humor, suspense, and heart-pounding action. The Feral is a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet isn’t afraid to explore some deeper truths. Though the book is rather violent, the author used the violence well.

The Characters – 4.5/5

Jenkins created an ensemble cast that is relatable and well-rounded. Even the antagonists are likable at times. Though the genre and choice of an “ensemble cast” left me wanting to know a few of the characters a little better, Jenkins kept me engaged throughout to the point that I found myself growing attached to the characters.

The Plot – 4.5/5

The plot of The Feral is somewhat relentless. This pacing is mostly a good thing as it makes for a book that is difficult to put down. A few more breaks scattered throughout the story might have allowed for more character development, but it was an excellent read regardless.

Overall – 4.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed The Feral by David Elias Jenkins. It’s non-stop action was fun and thrilling, yet it didn’t shy away from some heavy moments. To me, the mark of a solid book one in a series is that it has to leave me anxious to start book two. The Feral certainly accomplished that. If you like contemporary urban fantasy/sci-fi, then you need to read this book.

Overview

When I made the decision to open up this review blog to independent authors, I knew that I was potentially opening the door to gratuitously bad material. Despite the extra work of wading through poor writing to find the gems that this decision would bring, I felt that as an independent author myself, it was something that was well worth the effort. Independent authors rarely are given the credit they deserve. Self-publishing is hard work. In fact, the self-publishing process is far more difficult than the writing phase in my opinion. The reason I say it is worth it is because sometimes this blog gives me the opportunity to “discover” a gem that I might not have otherwise. The Feral by David Elias Jenkins perfectly fits that description.

Set in contemporary times, The Feral is an action-packed thriller that deals with a supernatural form of terrorism. The “Special Threats Group” is the “newest and least disclosed regiment in the United Kingdom’s Special Forces.” Their mission? To protect the world from the things that go bump in the night. Suspension of disbelief is certainly a prerequisite for any fan of this contemporary urban fantasy, but don’t let that turn you off. It is well thought out brilliantly written. The wit combined with the adrenaline pumping action make this a very fun read.

There’s no question, The Feral is a very fun read. Jenkins does a brilliant job of weaving humor, suspense, and action together in this thrill ride. One of the things I enjoyed was that the book didn’t take itself too seriously. What do I mean by that? Sometimes when reading fantasy in any style, I get the impression that the author wants so desperately to impart some form of “deep message” or “underlying truth” that it gets in the way of the sheer fun of the book. This is a book about monsters and the hunters that track and bag them. Jenkins’s writing style includes just enough tongue-in-cheek-wit to remind the reader that it’s okay just to sit back and enjoy the ride. That’s not to say the there aren’t some deeper messages in the book. It just means that it doesn’t stop the 80’s action movie thrill ride.

It is worth mentioning that the book is violent. It is violently violent. There was one scene in particular that turned my stomach as I read it, but it was an intentional device of the author. He doesn’t just use violence for violence’s sake. Referring to my point earlier, the darkness presented through the violence is expertly crafted as a carrier for the deeper message in the story (one I won’t give away here). Though some may find the violence to be a bit gratuitous, I found that it served the story well.

If I had one beef (and it’s minor), it has to do with the strange sexual relationship between one of the characters and an otherworldly being. It served a purpose, but it was a little odd. This relationship the only aspect that took me out of the story, but it is short and little more than a footnote in the grander story. Overall, I found Jenkins’s writing style to be quite enjoyable.

The Feral follows the men and women of the Special Threats Group. As such, it is a bit of an “ensemble” cast, though it does pay closer attention to a few characters. Overall, I really enjoyed the cast, though as is usually the case with ensemble setups, there were a couple of characters I would have liked to have visited in more depth. The Feral is book one in the “Last Line” series, so it is quite possible that my wish has already been granted in subsequent works. The antagonists were well rounded as were the protagonists.

The Feral is one of those books that doesn’t really let up after page one. In many ways, this is a good thing. I found the book very hard to put down. The only downside is that sometimes the action felt like it ran together a little. I’m being somewhat picky here (as is the purpose of this blog). The story was very enjoyable, but a couple more strategic breaks throughout the book to allow for more character development could have helped make the pacing excel even more. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. There were a number of surprises including a tragedy I didn’t see coming. It was one of those “throw the book across the room (if it wasn’t a Kindle)” types of moments that I both love and hate. I hate them because I don’t like seeing it happen, but I love it because it meant that I was caught off guard. It also meant that I had grown attached to the characters affected.